Catharsis
by Bria
Summary: A little while after Journey's End, Rose has a nightmare and it brings a deeper understanding and connection between her and the metacrisis Doctor. The rating has been changed to M but it's a pretty tame M.
1. Catharsis

Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

It was 3:00 in the morning but the Doctor was hard at work on his precious TARDIS in the garage off the flat. He might be part human now, but he still longed to be able to return to the stars. After more than 900 years he felt like he had been born to run and he wanted to run once more, with Rose Tyler at his side. Sleep could wait when there was so much to do. He knew Rose would chide him if she had any idea he was still up but she was sound asleep at this time of the night.

The Doctor was working on shatterfrying the coral when a shrill cry from the other side of the flat pierced the night. "DOCTOR!" There was absolute terror in that cry. Startled and worried, he leaped to his feet, his sonic screwdriver flying from his hand, and started running. "Rose?" he called out.

He had been sharing a flat with Rose for the past few months. While they lived together, they slept apart. Their relationship was still developing but he would give her all the time she needed. This transition was taking time for both of them. At first frequent nightmares had disturbed her sleep, when she would wake up in tears over losing the original Doctor yet again in her dreams. But the bad dreams seemed to have subsided as of late, and the new Doctor had hoped they were a thing of the past. He looked forward to the day when she would be content with him.

Pushing his own feelings aside as he sprinted across the flat, he forced his face to go neutral. It may hurt but he couldn't let her see that. Rose thought he had only known of the nightmares the two times they had happened when she had fallen asleep against him on the couch late at night. Indeed, she no idea that his hearing remained much better than an average human's and that he had been completely aware of each and every time she had shed a tear in the night for the original Doctor, nor had she known the pain he felt in those moments and she wasn't going to start now. He heard crying as he approached her bedroom and he opened the door a crack. "Rose?" he called out softly.

Whatever had disturbed her sleep was not releasing her from its clutches. The Doctor could hear her sobbing softly. He crossed the room quickly and leaned over her curled up form. He placed his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it back and forth very gently. "Rose," he repeated.

It was not working and he was not sure what he should do. He didn't want to really shake her but he knew he couldn't let her nightmare continue. Acting on new found human instinct he instead slid softly onto her bed and pulled her into his arms. He rocked her back and forth gently and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Shhh, Rose. I'm here. I'm here."

Rose's shoulders stopped shaking and her eyes slowly opened but it was not sleepy eyes that met his own. Instead her eyes were glassy and uncomprehending, still full of some terror that only she could see. "Gone." she muttered. "Gone, gone, gone. Alone."

"No Rose, No. I'm right here." She seemed to withdraw into herself and started crying softly, her face buried in his shoulder. Wanting to comfort her, he brushed her hair softly from her face, which stopped her crying, and then he kissed her gently on the lips. He knew that kissing could have a calming effect and he hoped it would work. "You're not alone." He felt slightly hopeful as Rose drew in a breath and sagged against his side as she fully awoke.

"Oh, Doctor," she sighed.

The Doctor rubbed her back gently. "Bad Wolf Bay again?" He asked softly. _The other Doctor?_ He thought to himself.

Rose reached out and touched his face, as if she was having a hard time believing he was real. She frowned slightly. "No," she replied. "It was you." She shuddered against him. "You were gone, Doctor. Not _him_, but _you_."

Still adjusting to being human, a smile had started to spread across his face when he heard that her nightmare had not been about the other Doctor but about himself. That had to mean something. He mentally kicked himself and stifled the smile, not wanting to find happiness in her pain. He hoped none of this had been noticeable in the dim light streaming into her bedroom from the hallway. If there was any remaining trace of the smile was gone with next words. "You weren't just gone, you were dead." She grasped his one of his hands in hers and pulled it to her heart.

"What?" The Doctor asked, shocked. He had no idea what he had expected her to say, but that was not it. He pulled away slightly to look at her and then used his right hand to pull her hand to his heart. There might only be one heart inside his chest now but it was beating strongly. "See," he said with a cheeky grin, trying to get her to do the same, "the ticker is still good."

Rose gave a feeble smile back, but there was such sadness in it. "For now, but not forever. You could leave and even if you don't, one day you'll die."

He realized they were at a precipice. His studies of human psychiatry led him to believe her fear of losing him was at the root of her nightmare, not the fear of him dying someday. They had been some discussion of the past and the future between them but mostly they had been focusing on the day to day adjustment. Clearly they had to have a talk now though, if her sleep was being disturbed. He looked at his beloved Rose, and smiled warmly at her.

"True, but that's not going to happen for a very long time. Come with me, Rose." He got up and led her by the hand to the kitchen and then pulled out a chair at the counter for her to sit down. Having seen plenty of late night talks over coffee or hot cocoa in the movies, he busied himself making some of the latter for the two of them. "Tell me about your dream."

She nodded. "We were walking through the park. Not doing anything exciting or extraordinary just taking a walk together. Suddenly you collapsed. I don't know why, but one moment you were on the ground and dead. Your heart had just stopped. You didn't regenerate, you just died, right in front of me." Her voice broke and he could see tears pooling in her eyes once again.

The Doctor reached over to cup her face and he stroked her cheek tenderly with his thumb. He thought for a moment how he should begin. He could usually talk for a long time about mindless things that didn't really matter, but he was not yet used to putting his emotions into words. Actions had defined him before the metacrisis and he was still working on sharing more of what he felt – and had felt - for so long.

"That must have been really terrifying," he started. He remembered the absolute horror that he had felt when he had almost lost Rose to the Void. The wind had been too strong and it had been all he could do to hold on himself, he certainly hadn't been able to even try to save her. If that kind of terror had interrupted her sleep, he understood her distress. "It's true that I won't regenerate, but as long as you want me, I'll do everything in my power to be with you, Rose."

"I know you say that now," she interrupted, her voice cracking. "But once the TARDIS is completed…" she trailed off. She knew domesticity was not coming easy to the Doctor even though she could tell he was trying very hard. Deep down she worried that this life they were sharing might not be enough for him once he had the freedom to leave.

"Once the TARDIS is completed I want to travel this universe _with _you. You know that, Rose." He stopped stroking her cheek and instead squeezed her hand. "That's all I've wanted for the longest time. Since I first invited you to travel with me. You said no, and I didn't want to accept that, so I came back. You and me, we have a habit of running after one another," he said with another huge grin, still hoping to get her to smile.

She nodded. "And you get so excited about traveling again. But then all of this," she waved her hand around. "The mortgage, carpets, everything… will you still want this?" Her voice then got softer. "Will you still want to be with me?"

"Always," the Doctor replied. He decided to share with her something neither he nor his previous incarnation had gone into detail about what had happened on the game station. He hadn't wanted her to feel guilty but now the knowledge might give her some comfort. Rose knew he had regenerated because his body was dying, but her memory of the events leading up to that were fuzzy.

"Rose," he began. "I never told you exactly why I looked into the heart of the time vortex. I did it to save you. You sacrificed yourself, to keep me safe, and believe me, it would have been a sacrifice. I had to save you in turn. A human brain could not handle the vortex and you would have burned. I knew that it would be the end of that life, the death of that personality, but I didn't care. All that mattered was you. This," he waved his hand to indicate his current state, "everything _I_ am now, everything _he_ is_,_ was born out of love for you. So to answer your question, yes. Even if we could never travel again in the TARDIS again, the answer would still be yes.

The Doctor decided to go for broke and continue, to let her know everything that he wanted. "Before, I had so many rules. Rules to protect you and rules to protect myself. I didn't just lose Gallifrey, I lost my wife and family and while Gallifreyan relationships were so different it still hurt. But it wasn't just the thought of watching you wither and die that held me back. It was the fact I couldn't give you the kind of life you would eventually want and deserve. I knew that I loved you but I wouldn't allow myself to act on it. I could only bring myself to say it – or rather, start to say it – when I thought we would never see each other again. I didn't want to leave you not knowing that I returned your feelings.

And Rose," he leaned over to kiss her, "I still do. I felt everything he ever felt and _only_ _I_ have felt what has happened since he left. It's been," he paused as he pulled away from her slightly. Despite quite a bit of frustration, some misunderstandings and arguments, he had enjoyed every minute he had with Rose since they were left together at Bad Wolf Bay. "Fantastic," he finished, using the catchphrase of his previous incarnation.

"Brilliant." she said, in agreement, the dazzling smile that he loved lighting up her face. There was a peace to her face now, as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and her heart had been lightened.

"And just to make it abundantly clear, Rose Tyler," he continued, pronouncing her name the way he knew she loved, "I do want _everything_ with you."

The kettle whistled and the Doctor poured hot water into two cups before adding the hot cocoa. "Oi!" he exclaimed, pulling his ear, and looking around in consternation. "Do we have any of the little marshmallows that I like?"

Rose grinned. Both at the question and at the Donna Nobleism that had preceded it. They still cropped up from time to time. "Yeah," she said, with her tongue between her teeth. "Top shelf, left side."

He found the marshmallows and proceeded to add way more than was necessary to both of their cups. He handed one of them to Rose and led her to the living room so they could enjoy their cocoa snuggled against one another. They each drank in companionable silence, lost in thought, and when they were done she took the cups to the sink to the dishwasher. "Let's get to bed," she suggested.

The Doctor nodded and walked with her hand in hand to her bedroom. He bent to give her a quick kiss good night but instead found her arms wrapped around his neck. Rose kissed him and after a moment her tongue traced a path across his lips, seeking entrance. He opened his mouth gladly, savoring both a trace of hot cocoa as well as the taste that was completely, utterly, _Rose_. They kissed leisurely, enjoying being in each other's arms. His hand slipped under her pajama top and he caressed the bare skin of her lower back lovingly, pulling her flush against his body, before pulling away as she tried, rather unsuccessfully, to hide a yawn. "Good night, Rose," he said with a smile.

She looked at him and bit her lip thoughtfully. "Could you stay here with me?"

Not expecting that but delighted all the same, he nodded. "I'll take the chair," he said lowering himself down into the chair that sat at the desk in her room.

Rose shook her head as she climbed into her bed. "S'Not what I meant. Will you hold me?"

The Doctor wordlessly toed off his trainers since he was still completely dressed. He was not willing to spoil the moment to change into his pajamas and so he just went for it and he slid in next to her and pulled her into his arms. He heard her sigh happily and a sense of catharsis filled him. He had sensed her holding back but had figured she had just needed time to adjust. He never imagined she feared losing him too. They should have talked sooner. "I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, my Doctor." She leaned her ear against his chest and he could tell she was listening to the steady beating of his heart with a smile on her face before she sank back to sleep.

He watched her sleeping in his arms and a lump rose to his throat. Wherever the other Doctor was out there in the parallel universe, he thanked him for leaving this amazing woman with him. He knew tonight had been a milestone for him and Rose and he couldn't wait to see what tomorrow would bring. With a sigh of contentment, he fell asleep next to the woman he loved with every beat of his single heart.

* * *

A/N: Ok, my first real DW story and not just the Doctor's thoughts. I don't know where this came from but once I got it into my head I had to write it… just as I had to pay homage to some lines/scenes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer that I love. I couldn't help myself. Kudos to those who spot them. :) I welcome thoughts on this… I know I used way too many adverbs but I think the dead of night setting makes for a softer atmosphere than if this was set during the day and they just seemed to fit.


	2. Reassurance

Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them.

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go is by Wham. It isn't mine either. HAH!

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

_Wake me up before you go-go  
Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
I don't want to miss it when you hit that high  
Wake me up before you go-go  
'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Take me dancing tonight  
I wanna hit that high (yeah, yeah)_

The Doctor woke with a start, completely disorientated. Bloody hell! There was music, incessant, loud, music and his sleep addled brain could not comprehend what was happening. What was that racket and why was it so close to his head? More importantly, how could he make it shut the hell up? He reached out blindly for his sonic screwdriver and when he didn't feel it in his pocket his arms flailed out and in the process he fell, rather unceremoniously, out of bed and onto the floor.

Abruptly the music stopped and he opened his eyes to find Rose looking over the side of her bed at him, laughing. "You think this is funny?" he asked with a scowl.

An eyebrow was raised in his direction and he watched as Rose slowly stopped giggling. "Yeah, actually."

He wasn't really upset but decided to play. "Hmph," he said with a pout and crossing his arms.

Rose stepped out of bed, offered him her hand to help him up, and pulled him into her arms. "Oh, c'mere you," she said as she wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him tightly, her head resting against his chest, and he heard her breathe in his scent. "Thank you."

Totally loving the closeness, he dropped the charade that he was upset and just smiled at her. "For what?"

"You. Last night." She laced his fingers with hers. "Everything."

"Not necessary. It was my pleasure, welllll, blimey, not pleasure, but I wanted to be there for you. I always want to be there for you." He squeezed her hand.

He watched as Rose glanced quickly at the clock on her nightstand. She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. "I need to get ready but I have a few minutes." Mischief and something more shone in her eyes and she pushed him back on her bed and plopped down beside him. Her hand stroked his cheek and then she crushed her lips to his and pulled him into her arms.

From Bad Wolf Bay up until the previous night there had only been hand holding, a little bit of cuddling on the couch, and quick kisses – all on her insistence, it was true– but he could tell she was now ready for more. So much more by the dark look of desire he could see so plainly in her eyes. Last night, holding her, had been the best moment he'd had in this life so far and he knew it could only get better.

Even though he knew their current time was limited, he was unable to stop himself and his hands were suddenly in her hair, on her skin, touching her, caressing her. He wanted to cover her body with his, to taste her skin, to hear her call out in passion, his name on her lips. Part of him wanted a slow buildup, another part of him thought this had been progressing for years and it was time enough already. He could feel his body responding to hers and hers reacting in kind and he reveled in the fact that he was the one doing that to her. Sorely missing his previous respiratory bypass system, he pulled away from her slightly to catch his breath and was pleased by the flushed look on her cheeks. _That was all for him. _

A wicked grin spread across his face, and her face mirrored his own. She reached out and ran her hand lightly up and down the front of his shirt, and stopped over his heart, seeming to enjoy how hard it was thumping beneath her hand. Then she frowned though. "You're still dressed."

"Welllll.. a little late to change into pajamas now." He smirked.

"Not what I meant. You hadn't gone to bed. You were still up when you came to me in the dead of the night." He could tell she wasn't happy but he honestly didn't understand her point. She could see the evidence plainly in front of her. He had always made it to his bed before she woke and left in the morning so he knew she really hadn't had any idea just how long his nights usually were. "Fine," he confessed with a sigh. "You caught me. There's just so much to do and you know I like to keep busy."

"About that," she began, her tone and eyes suddenly very serious. "It needs to stop. You can't keep working on the TARDIS – "

"What? Rose," he interrupted. Panic coursed through his body at her words. His brain still worked at a faster pace than an average human's and a thousand scenarios were flying through his head. He wasn't even conscious of the fact that he had interrupted her, time had just seemed to stop at her words. Had she really just said that? He had told her the truth last night, even without the TARDIS he would want to be with her, but that was only a worst case scenario if it didn't pan out. Surely, she would not ask him to forgo the stars. Would she? "I…" he stammered, hating the way his voice sounded.

Her hand reached out and she cupped his face gently. "Calm down, Doctor. Breathe and let me finish. Please," she pleaded.

Ashamed of his outburst, he took in several deep gulps of air and looked at the love and worry that was so plain on her face. This was _Rose_, she wouldn't _do _something like that to him. Why had he jumped to that conclusion? Crazy, stupid, human emotions! "Sorry."

"'S okay," she kissed him quickly. "What I was going to say is that you can't keep working on the TARDIS into all hours of the night. I thought it was only for a little bit after I went to bed – that's what you told me. No wonder you're dead to the world when I leave in the morning!" Concern was evident in her eyes.

"Or," she seemed to concede, as he watched her – and indeed he was already formulating arguments in his head. "At least not normally. You work better when you've had decent sleep and I slept better last night with you next to me." She stopped and smiled, almost shyly, at him. "I want you here with me at night, if that's alright with you, yeah?"

All of his arguments abruptly left him at her words. He hadn't been working so hard all the time just to get them a functioning and growing TARDIS. It had also been a way to pass the many lonely hours after she went to bed and he was left by himself in their quiet, dark flat. "Quite right. I'd like that," he said with a grin, and it was his turn to hug her tightly, thankful he was with her.

"Good. Now I've got to get to get ready." She hurried into the bathroom and the Doctor could hear water running as she quickly brushed her teeth.

From her bed the Doctor watched Rose as she got ready for work. He was amazed he could be so happy just sitting there watching but he really was. His energy had lessened, if only slightly, since he had become human but he still usually wanted to be busy doing something just like he had said. However, right now he was content just to observe her. She was absolutely fascinating and he had never seen her like this. He thought back briefly to a moment when it had seemed like this day would never come.

Only days after they had been left together, she had fallen asleep next to him on the couch in the living room and woke up in tears over the loss of the original Doctor. Rose had tearfully explained to him that it was hard to mourn someone when that person's face was right in front of her. She told him she didn't say that to hurt him, although she was sure it would, but because she needed time and patience, and she was sorry, but to please, please, _please_ understand. It had been so frustrating, especially after the passionate kiss at Bad Wolf Bay. She had come around to the idea of his new face and personality so much quicker the last time. Neither of them had initially been sure of where they stood with one another, but after the battle with the Sycorax, she had accepted him.

This time around it wasn't a regeneration, not really, and yet he was different, a new man. The face stayed the same, as did most of his personality, so he could see the difference as she had explained it. At the same time though, shouldn't that have made it easier on her? He didn't completely understand it, but his mind was still Time Lord and more logical than a human's.

She had been right though. It had been very hard to hear her say that, but he had known instantly he would do anything and give her anything she needed to help her adjust, even if it meant keeping his distance from time to time. That was the reason he had never gone to her previously when he heard her crying in the night, until last night when she had screamed his name in terror. At her tearful request he had vowed to himself that he would keep that promise until Rose came to accept him as the Doctor, _her_ very own Doctor.

Now it appeared she finally had and his heart rejoiced in the fact. He would finally be able to love her the way he had wanted to for such a long time. Before the metacrisis, he had never, not even in his wildest fantasies, thought he would be able to hold her in his arms the way he just had. They might not have danced (as she had so ahem, _eloquently_, put it long ago) yet, but even so, the intimacy between them had increased over night.

While he had been lost in thought, Rose had finished dressing in the closet. She proceeded to go over to the vanity and quickly apply her make up. He didn't understand why human females felt the need to cover their faces in the stuff. Not that she went overboard with it or anything. She didn't, but he didn't think she needed anything at all. She was beautiful the way she was, plus it didn't taste very good at all. "You really don't need that."

"Says you. But we're supposed to be business casual at Torchwood so…" She shrugged and glanced at the clock again. "Yikes. I've got to get out of here." She gave him a quick kiss and rushed out of flat. Her last words as she left were full of promise. "Tonight, Doctor, tonight."

With an air of anticipation he started counting down the hours.

* * *

A/N: This is so totally turning out to be longer than I anticipated. Reviews and thoughts are appreciated!


	3. Plans

Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them. And my stolen line from Firefly belongs to Fox. *swears under breath* And finally, I Love Lucy belongs to CBS/Paramount (and yes I realize Lucille Ball wasn't a natural redhead just deal with it as it's how she presented herself). I think that covers it.

A/N: I'm switching viewpoints here. I tried to work it out with the Doctor but it wasn't coming together. The plot bunnies insisted that Rose got her turn and I was tired of them gnawing on my ankles and gave in. I hope it works… persistent little buggers.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Rose put down the phone with a sigh. It just wasn't _fair_ damn it. She knew Pete hadn't broken his ankle on purpose and while he might not have been exactly her father, she did love the man and hated to think that he was injured. That being said, why did it have to be today of all days? Also, why wasn't Tony's regular babysitter available to watch him while Jackie was with Pete at the hospital? _Shit_.

Tonight was supposed to be _special_. She loved the Doctor and she wanted him to know exactly how much. She wanted to show him that her heart, body, and soul belonged to him and she trusted him to keep them safe. After the last few weeks where she came to see that he really and truly _was_ the Doctor. He wasn't a clone, as clones do not retain memories, and he certainly wasn't a twin or a son. He _was_ the Doctor she had loved for so long, but now in a human form.

It had been a gradual realization as she watched him slowly adjust to the new experiences of human life. He had met most of them with an almost childlike enthusiasm. He had always enjoyed learning new things. But the moments that were most telling were the ones where she didn't think he realized she was watching him. It wasn't that she thought he was putting on an act, pretending to be the Doctor, she hadn't thought for a moment, but to see him be himself by himself was the most telling.

She had spied him sticking his fingers in jar of chocolate sauce and then dipping them in the container of edible ball bearings one evening in the kitchen after dinner and it had hit her. She wasn't even upset with him about it because she finally_ knew _she had _her_ Doctor, right there in front of her. It wasn't the way she had ever pictured it happening, but here they were. That had led to slightly more cuddling and more chaste kisses than they had previously had but now that her unconscious fears had been addressed she was ready for the next step. She realized she had been acting like a school girl holding herself back because the boy she loved might be gone in the autumn. But was no longer a girl and he certainly wasn't a boy. She just wished her fear that he would leave hadn't been buried so deep or they could've reached this point quicker. Better now than later on though, she thought with a smile.

Rose picked up her mobile and dialed hit the Doctor's speed dial. Normally she would be heading home at this time of day. "S'me."

"Hello!" She could tell by his voice that he was grinning from ear to ear. "I was just thinking about you." In the background she could hear quite a bit of loud noises but decided not to ask.

"Yeah? Me too." She cleared her throat. "'M sorry but there's been a slight change of plans. I'll be home a little later than usual – just a bit as I have to run to the hospital. Pete broke his ankle and Tony is driving mom spare while they wait so he's going to spend the evening with us."

"Oh." She could hear the disappointment in his voice although he tried to hide it. "Blimely. Weelll, that's too bad but we can still have fun. We haven't seen Tony for a few days." He did seem to brighten as he went on. The Doctor had taken to Tony immediately and her little brother adored him in return.

"I'll pick up some food on our way home and I should see you in," She stopped to glance at her watch. "About an hour."

"Oh, don't do that! I made dinner. Followed most of the directions on the telly this time too!" She quietly sniggered to herself as he talked, that probably was what she had heard going on in the background. He was a pretty good cook, honestly he was good at pretty much everything, but if he decided to try new things he tended to want to do it his own way and chuck the recipe. Granted he had come up with some amazing dishes but still, she never knew what she was going to get.

"Ok, then. See you soon." She grabbed her keys and was headed out the door as she finished her call.

"Tell Pete I'm sorry to hear about the ankle and tell Tony I've got dinosaurs this time!"

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Upon entering the flat Rose found herself swept into the Doctor's arms and he lifted her slightly off the ground. "I missed you." He kissed her quickly before he put her down and turned to Tony.

"Docta!" The little boy squealed and threw his arms about the Doctor's legs.

"Tony, my little man!" He picked him up and hugged him. "Good to see you." He put Tony down and led them both to the dinner table.

Rose could hardly believe her eyes. He had really gone all out. Not only had he cooked dinner, set the table, and put out fresh flowers, he had dressed up with a tie (he didn't wear them much anymore), and there was a bottle of wine that he hastily took back into the kitchen. She felt a little pang in her heart. He had been looking forward to tonight as much as she had. She caught his eye as he returned, mouthed _thank you_, and he just smiled back at her.

The dinner he made was delicious. He'd made roasted chicken and mashed potatoes and she couldn't figure out exactly what he would've changed. As they finished eating she turned to him. "So you didn't quite follow the recipe. What was the change?"

"Garlic, in the mashed potatoes" he replied. "Not good before…not that that's going… err." He tugged on his ear as he glanced at Tony and seemed to search for the right words to say in front of the boy. "Makes for bad breath and I didn't want that."

Rose laughed and then sent the two of them out to the living room. While she cleaned up the dishes she listened in on the conversation the Doctor was having with Tony. This was the first time that the three of them had been alone together. Usually they were at the mansion when they saw him but occasionally Jackie and Pete had stopped by with him in tow. She always loved seeing her little brother. Before she had taken that fateful dimension cannon jump, she had accepted the fact that she wouldn't see any of them again. It had been a hard goodbye and one of the hardest parts was that she had believed she would never get the chance to see Tony grow up. Now she would and it filled her heart with joy.

As she heard her brother having a giggle fit over the Doctor's portrayal of a T-Rex turning on its dinosaur friend ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!") she couldn't help laughing herself. The Doctor was so good with him, even if he was quoting a show from the telly at the moment. That was when it hit her hard. First a burst of happiness, then sorrow, and then profound thankfulness.

Her Time Lord Doctor had given this all to her. He had given her, given _them_, a future together while denying it for himself. She had been prepared to give that sort of life up, and everything it entangled. Not long after she had met him for the first time she had told him he had her after the end of the world and she had meant it. They had only just met but she knew she couldn't return to her former life, not after he had opened her eyes to so much more. After he had regenerated she had promised him forever. It didn't matter if they would only ever be the best of friends because she loved him and would do anything just to be with him. She now knew with certainty he had returned her feelings because the new Doctor had confirmed it, that it hadn't just been platonic, but she doubted he would've acted on it. The curse of the Time Lords he had told her.

But with her new Doctor it was different. They had their whole life together. They could literally create a life together, born of their love for one another. They could have a family together. She hadn't thought it that big of a sacrifice when she promised him forever so long ago but now she could see that it would have been. Last night he had told her he wanted everything with her and she found she wanted the very same thing. They were not ready for to have a child or children yet, not even remotely close, but someday she knew that he would make a wonderful father. Her breath hitched in her throat and she took a step back to steady herself against the counter as tears sprung to her eyes and she choked back a cry.

He was at her side in an instant. "Rose, what's wrong? I heard…." He broke off and paused, as he took in her posture and the tears in her eyes and he pulled her to him. "I'm here, whatever it is."

She leaned her forehead against his shoulder for a moment and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I just had a moment. A happy one…mostly." She touched his lips with her fingers and then she kissed him, needing to feel them against her own. "I'll tell you about it later," she said quietly. "Let's get Tony to the park for so he can have some fresh air before we put him down."

She watched as he frowned slightly in concern but she managed to pull herself together. She squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile. "I'm ok."

He didn't seem very convinced but he nodded and they left with Tony for the park.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

A few hours later when Tony was gone, the Doctor pulled her into his arms as he joined her in bed. "Now what was that all out earlier?" He stroked her cheek as he held her.

"The future. Us." Rose rested her head against his shoulder and entwined her fingers with his. "I watched you with Tony and it just brought up so many emotions. I thought I was never going to see him again when I went after you. I accepted that but it made me so sad to think I would never see him again, never see him grow into a young man. I pretty much hadn't thought twice about children even before I met you at Henrik's but now..." She squeezed his hand and looked deeply into his eyes. "I want that with you. Not yet, not soon, but someday. You're going to be a fantastic dad."

He brought their entwined hand up to his mouth and kissed her hand softly and the skin around eyes crinkled with emotion. "You're amazing, Rose, that's what you are. You'll be a wonderful mother. Why the tears then?"

She sighed. "The Doc-" Her voice broke for a moment, it was still difficult to know how to speak of her Time Lord Doctor to her human Doctor, especially when they shared the same name. "_Him_. He gave us this chance to be together, and denied himself the chance to be happy with me. Donna won't be around forever - ultimately everybody leaves him one way or another. I would eventually pass away if I had stayed with him. He does so much, saves so many, and in the end all he has is the TARDIS. Not that she isn't great, she's wonderful, but not the same. It just makes me sad for him."

While she spoke the Doctor had been stroking her arm up and down and just holding her close to his body. When she stopped he was silent for several minutes as if he was lost in thought. "Rose…. I won't lie to you, it can be a lonely life much of the time. But it's what he knows. It's all he's known for centuries. Companions come and go but none of you are ever forgotten or replaced. When he's ready he'll always find someone. He always has."

She gave him a small smile as he finished. There wasn't really anything that could be said that would take away the ache in her heart for her Time Lord Doctor but she knew with every fiber of her being that he had wanted her to have this. She and her new Doctor had been given an incredible gift and she would make sure, to her dying breath that they would make the most of the time they had together.

With a quick glance at the clock Rose grabbed the remote and turned on the telly. She was tired after chasing Tony around the park, but they had had a nightly ritual of watching old episodes of I Love Lucy that aired this time of the evening. She figured they could use a laugh.

The Doctor absolutely loved I Love Lucy. She figured it probably had something to do with the fact that Lucille Ball had so much energy and was almost always in motion, just as he was. The fact that she was ginger, even if the show was in black and white, probably helped too. The episode that was on was the one were Lucy and Ethel got a job in a chocolate factory and had to gradually step up production. It was hysterical and he actually got tears in his eyes from laughing so hard when Lucy started shoving chocolates in her mouth when she couldn't keep up.

"I love hearing you laugh." She told him as the episode ended.

"Yeah?" He asked with a grin.

"Yep!" She popped the p, just like he usually did, but then turned serious. "Sorry our evening wasn't what we planned though."

He chuckled a bit. "Rose, it's us. When do we ever do anything according to plan? In all the time we've known each other? As for today I happen to think it's been brilliant."

She grinned back at him. "You have a point."

He smirked. "I usually do." Then his eyebrows waggled as he dropped his voice, heavy with suggestion. "And after tomorrow we have the whole weekend."

Inspiration stuck Rose but she kept her thoughts to herself. "That we do." She leaned over to kiss him goodnight. Their kisses this morning had been frenzied, passionate, and thrilling, but now they were slow and steady and just plain wonderful. With a satisfied sigh she turned out the light and curled up next to him.

Once he was asleep next to her Rose shifted away from him and got up. From the back of a drawer she grabbed a special silent wrist alarm that Torchwood had developed. She set the alarm time with a grin to herself and then slipped it on her wrist before returning to bed and his side. She would take matters into her own hands. Tomorrow was going to be different.

* * *

A/N. I'm a bit nervous about this one. I hope I made the right decision with regarding the viewpoint. This chapter turned out very different (and longer) from what I originally thought it would be but I wanted to explore issues I don't think would've been touched on here otherwise in the story and I really wanted a sense of every day human life for Rose and Tentoo. I'd love feedback on whether or not it worked.


	4. Playing Hooky

Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them.

A/N: Moving the rating up to an M here. I think it's pretty tame as far as M's go, but better to error on the side of caution… The first bit probably would've fit better at the end of the previous chapter but it wasn't written at that point so it's going at the start of this one.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Early the next morning, the silent alarm that Rose wore went off. It emitted a small pulse, just enough to wake her up, but silent so that it didn't disturb anybody else. The Doctor slept on beside her, none the wiser. She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and got up, silently making her way across the bedroom. Quietly she closed the door behind her and made her way to the kitchen.

Once there she dialed her stepdad's number. She could feel the heat in her cheeks and felt a bit silly essentially asking for the day off, in part, to snog (and more) the man in her life. It had to be done though.

Pete answered on the first ring. "Good morning, Rose. It's awfully early."

She laughed a bit nervously. "Yeah. Sorry about that. How are you doing? How is your ankle?"

He snorted a bit. "It's not great but what can you do? It'll heal. Thanks for checking up on me."

"You're welcome and I'm sorry again that it happened. And, I wanted you to know I need the day off. You told me when I got back to just let you know if I ever needed a day off. I need one today and since Friday's are pretty quiet I hoped it would be ok. Is it?" She asked in a rush.

"Sure, that's fine. Is everything ok?" She could hear the surprise in his voice. Initially, she had not returned to work for a week after the second time at Bad Wolf Bay but that was it. She had never missed a day when she was scheduled to work before. She like this world's Torchwood and she loved her job. Until she and the Doctor were ready to travel again, she wanted to be there. Just not today.

In the background Rose could hear coffee being made and she was pretty certain she could hear coughing in the background. _That'll be Mum_. Of course she was listening in. "Yes, everything is fine. I just want to do something special. But if anybody asks, I'm sick. I don't want anybody to think I'm doing this just because of who you are."

Pete chuckled in her ear. "Sure, honey. No problem. I don't think anybody doubts your work ethic though."

She smiled. "One more thing. Does Director Crispin still owe you a favor?

There was a pause on the other side of the phone. "Uh, yeah. In his line of work I'm very unlikely to call him on it."

Rose laughed. "That's true. I'd like to use it if it's all right. For the Doctor. I think he'd love that place."

"I'm sure he would. Be my guest. Since he's a family friend I don't think he'll mind if it's you calling it in. Have fun dear."

Completely thrilled, Rose ended the phone call with Pete. She then quickly called Director Crispin, thankful she knew the old man started his day early as well, and he was more than happy to honor her request. She had tried to promise a donation but he had insisted it was not necessary.

Feeling accomplished and excited for what lay ahead she returned to the bedroom. _Their _bedroom now_._ The Doctor was still asleep and she left the door open a crack so she could watch him in the dim light of the hallway for a moment. He was absolutely gorgeous in sleep. She climbed back into bed and lay down beside him. Unable to resist doing so, she reached a hand out and ran her fingers lightly through his hair. She loved all of him but his hair was one of his most endearing physical attributes. He made a pleased sound at the back of his throat at her touch but remained asleep.

There was a part of her that wanted to wake him immediately but it was still dark out. Now that her plans were in place she was ok with taking things as they came. This morning or later in the day, it didn't matter. She felt sleep beckoning her once more so she quickly turned her regular alarm on after resetting the time – just in case – and then snuggled up to his side and joined him in sleep.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Sunlight was streaming across his face as the Doctor awakened. Rose was curled up at his side and his body was very well aware of the fact. Ignoring it completely, he took the quiet in and just reveled in her beauty. Her hair was tousled across her pillow, her lips were slightly parted, and he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each breath she took.

Unable to stop himself, he used a feather light touch to move his hand from her shoulder, down her arm, to the curve of her bottom, and then back up to rest his arm against her belly. She fit against him perfectly, or perhaps he had just been made to fit against her. He knew he would never get tired of this and he held her close, watching her sleep. This slower paced human life was just fine if it gave him moments like this, with the chance to wake up next to Rose every morning.

That was when he realized something was wrong. The sunlight… THE TIME! Blimely! She was so punctual unless it was just the two of them and then neither of them really cared. She wouldn't be very happy when he woke her. She was never late to work!

"Rose!" He shook her shoulder. "Your alarm. I'm sorry I should've realized it sooner and not just been a daft idiot," he broke off as she pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shh," she murmured. "It's alright, really."

He shook his head. "No, it's not," he insisted. He gestured wildly at the clock. "You should've been at work two hours ago, Rose!"

She sat up. "I'm not going to work today. I'm coming down with something."

"Oh." Sometime was off here but wasn't sure what it was. She didn't seem to be sick. "What's wrong?"

"Dunno." She shrugged. "My heart. It's like it no longer belongs to me anymore…" She looked him in the eyes and he could see hers were sparkling. "I think I need a Doctor."

Comprehension slowly dawned on him as he took her in. There was nothing wrong, she just wanted to be with him. She wanted to break the rules and it was all because of him! He threw his head back and laughed heartily.

She grinned at him. "Time honored tradition this is. Playing hooky. That is the cover story though, that I'm not feeling well. You know, if anybody at Torchwood asks. But I called this morning and told Pete I needed the day off. I could practically hear Mum giving him a look in the background. Anyway. I decided to take matters into my own hands."

He waggled his eyebrows. "Oh, did you? Think you're going to have your way with me?"

"I did." She replied as she sank back down on the bed beside him. "And I do," she said simply, as she pulled him into her arms. She ran her thumb across his lower lip and grinned at him as she pulled it away. Her smile was absolutely dazzling and he returned it wholeheartedly.

For a moment they were both completely silent and still, just gazing at each other. This was the moment that was going to change everything. He finally had his pink and yellow human, his Rose, and he was going to be able to show her just what she meant to him and how absolutely in love with her he was. He could see her own love for him reflected in her eyes and it threatened to take his breath away, before they had even began.

She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair and then moved them down to cup his face and he closed his eyes in pleasure. He craved her touch and was so thankful that it was no longer just her hand in his or a hug here and there. Her fingers ghosted over his forehead, moved across his eyebrows, stroked his sideburns, and caressed his cheeks. She seemed to be unable to stop touching him. Desire coursed through his body at her ministrations. Everything felt so wonderful. She finally brought his face to hers and kissed him gently. Just the lightest brush of her lips against his, but so full of emotion.

"I love you. I have for so long. Since you were "'Northern' and wore leather." She stopped and chuckled against him. "We tried so hard back then to deny that we were together. And in this sense we weren't." She nuzzled his nose.

Rose pulled away slightly and he opened his eyes. "Told anybody and everybody that suggested we were a couple that they were wrong. But deep down, I loved you even then. Almost from the beginning." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed again, more determined this time.

He understood exactly what she meant and felt. He had wanted this for so long as well even though, as a Time Lord, he hadn't allowed himself to give in to such things. He had wanted this in previous regeneration, when he was quieter and brooding. He had wanted it before he had split from the current incarnation and became part human. He had even wanted this subconsciously in 1913 when he thought she was a figment of his imagination and he had had no true concept of who he was. Rose was his soul mate.

Pulling back for breath she continued although her voice broke a little. "I never dreamed back then that we would truly get to spend our lives together. I thought I lost you or would lose you so many times. I never saw us having a life together like this." He watched as she shook her head, almost as if she were trying to clear it, and her hands grew frenzied as she started unbuttoning the top of his pajamas as if desperate to get it off of him.

"I know, Rose, me too. Since back when only way I could tell I loved you was to say your name and tell you that you were fantastic. But we're here now. That's what's important." He stilled her hand for a moment.

Already in his fairly short time as a human he had felt what a heady rush of desire and emotions could do to a body. How it could cause people to want to rush and claim and that seemed to be what was happening to her. He had restrained himself after her nightmare the other night but he had felt it when she kissed him then as well as the previous morning. Now that they were finally here, he wanted the slow path in this. He wanted them to be able to enjoy it as long as possible. "Slow down though. We only can do this once."

She blinked, confusion in her eyes. "O-once?"

He chuckled at her. "Our first time."

She smiled, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Weellll then…" Her impersonation was fairly dead on and he grinned at her.

Rose took a deep breath and finished with the buttons and he helped her remove the top. She then kissed him, her tongue dueling with his. Her fingers moved through the sparse hair on his chest as she moved her mouth to his neck. She nibbled and laved from the base of his jaw to his shoulder and he learned the entire area was highly erogenous and he groaned in appreciation as he felt his entire body react to her touch and he couldn't stop a moan from falling from his lips.

She looked pleased and started her way across his chest, pressing open-mouthed kisses from one side of his body to the other. Reaching his waistline she pulled down the pajama pants and tossed them on the floor, leaving him clad only in boxers. Moving down she massaged the muscles of his lower thighs and then stopped to take in his form, a smile lighting up her face. Finally, she moved one hand down to give him a gentle squeeze through the fly of the boxers and started to pull them down. As she licked her lips, he knew she had to stop.

"Rose?" He stilled her hand with regret.

"'Mmm?"

He looked into her eyes so she would know he was not teasing her. "I need you to stop now. If you don't, I'm not going to last. It wasn't like this for Time Lords. I don't think I could handle it right now if you did that."

Disappointment flashed across face but she nodded. "Another time?"

He stroked her cheek. "Oh, yes."

She smiled at him as if she had earned a gold medal at the Olympics. "I'll hold you to that." Her eyes were full of promises.

"Now it's my turn." The Doctor proceeded to write declarations of love across her body. Every dip, every curve, none of it escaped his attention. He started with a kiss to her forehead, running his fingers through her lovely hair, and then moved his way to her ear. He traced the shell of her ear with his tongue and then nibbled on her earlobe. "My Rose," he whispered in her ear, before using his lips to trace a path of fire along her jawline to her mouth.

He kissed her deeply while his hands were busy undoing the buttons of her pajama top. He spread it open and tossed it aside. "Beautiful. Just beautiful," he told her as he took in the sight of her. He wasn't yet ready to remove her pajama shorts but he couldn't resist inching his fingertips inside the waistband. With a start he realized she wasn't wearing knickers. His head snapped up and he found she was watching him, a devilish grin on her face, her tongue between her teeth. Her eyebrows were raised in a clear invitation but he shook his head. Not yet.

Undeterred from his goal, he continued his slow exploration of her body. Every inch of her body, down to the soles of her feet was going to get his love and attention. He might not have ever done this, not with somebody he loved like this, nor in this body, but Rose was a fantastic teacher, showing him exactly what she liked. He did his best to be an apt pupil, and if her breathy moans were any indication, he succeeded brilliantly.

When at last they came together it was everything he had imagined it would be. They found completion entangled in one another's arms. The Doctor and Rose Tyler. Together. Just as it should be.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Sometime afterward, his head pillowed against her breast, the Doctor listened to the steady beat of her heart as he stroked the soft skin of her belly. He remembered their earlier conversation and raised his head to look at her. "I'm sorry."

Rose's eyes were closed and while she was not asleep, she seemed to be lost in the afterglow. "Mmmmmmm… what?" Her eyes opened slowly, full of questions, as if it was only just dawning on her exactly what he had said.

"Your heart." He stated simply. "I have my diagnosis."

She blinked several times and bit her lip. "And?"

He reached out and caressed her cheek. "You have metacrisisitis. I'm afraid there is no cure. You'll have it until the end of your life."

She let out a deep breath. "Oh dear. That sounds bad. What can I do?"

He moved so that his lips were just inches from hers. "Weeellll, there is a treatment. A way to make it bearable."

Her eyes lit up as she as she closed the distance. "Yeah?" She breathed against his lips, as her hands reached out to stoke his sideburns and then her arms wrapped around her neck as she proceeded to kiss him.

He returned her kiss but only for a moment, and then pulled back only slightly. "You can stay with me forever. I'll take care of your heart." He stopped for a moment to nuzzle her nose. "My love." He then hovered his mouth around her eyes until she closed them and kissed each eyelid gently. "How does that sound?" Without waiting for an answer he moved over to her ear and nipped at it. "Would you like that, Rose?" he asked, his words a whisper in her ear.

As he had started his travels across her face her hands had been busy behind his back, moving from his neck down. She had scrapped her nails lightly up and down his spine, causing delicious shivers to run up and down the length of his body. It had taken all of his control to continue with the charade but now he was done.

"Always," she replied. "Now get back here."

He returned to her lips then and then dipped his tongue into her mouth to dance with her own. He kissed her, time and time again, pausing only when they needed breath. Eventually it was no longer enough.

This time he was the frantic one. He needed her, he needed this. He would always need this, the chance to lose himself in her and know it was mutual. As a Time Lord he had never lost control like this but he was part human now and it was wonderful. He made love to her again, hard and fast, and she met him with equal passion. When they were both satiated and spent, he followed her into a blissful sleep.

* * *

A/N: So there you go. I think that is about the closest I can come to all out smut. I've never written anything like this before and um, yeah. I hope it worked. I just don't know.

Many thanks the lovely gal that previewed this. I really appreciated the feedback. :)


	5. Total Eclipse

Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them.

The stone Rose statue is from the BBC Books _The Stone Rose_ by Jacqueline Rayner.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

The next time the Doctor awoke he was alone in bed. He slung an arm out next to him and found the sheets beside himself were cool to his touch. Rose hadn't been there for a bit. The smell of batter and bananas filled his nose and his stomach rumbled. Mouth almost watering from the delicious aroma, he got up.

He became aware of soft singing as he approached the bedroom door. It was open a crack and he pushed it all the way back for a clear look into the hallway. From the reflection in the decorative mirrors on the walls he could see she was in the kitchen cooking and dancing around a bit while she did it, in addition to the singing. She was not the world's best singer. He didn't know the song but he could hear that some of the notes were off slightly off key and he knew she was very self-conscious about that. He found it very endearing.

This was the second time he had seen her like this. The first time was after Downing Street. He didn't know exactly what had inspired her, if it had been a 'thank you for giving me the TARDIS key' or a 'sorry my mum and Mickey were a pain,' but she had made him chocolate chip muffins the following morning from a package she had found in the galley pantry. While she had baked he had spied her in the kitchen, dancing around in her pajamas with the too short shorts and singing along to a song on her mp3 player. She hadn't known he had seen that and he hadn't known how to react to that visual that just _screamed_ domestic, but it had pleased him deep down. He had slipped away unnoticed and it had never happened again. Until now. This time he would not hide away. He stepped back into the bedroom and went to grab his dressing robe.

However, as he slipped it on and started to tie it shut, he noticed a red patch of skin on his left shoulder. Immediately distracted by it, he dropped the closure and went over to the mirror for a closer look at his body. He remembered the pleasurable sting of that moment vividly; it had been the second time around. She had _marked_ him; marked him _hers, _just as surely as if she'd actually written _Property of Rose Tyler _across his skin. He couldn't help smiling down at it. He had a sudden urge to mark her as well, but in a way that was so much more permanent. He wanted a band around her finger to signify to everybody that she belonged to him, just as he belonged to her. He knew where he would take her to propose if the TARDIS was ready but since it wasn't he would have to come up with a different plan.

As he cinched the tie around his waist, he heard footsteps approach their bedroom and he looked up as Rose entered with a breakfast tray in her hands. On it were pancakes. _Banana _pancakes. He grinned at her and couldn't help laughing with sheer happiness. He usually had a manic buzz about him since he'd first regenerated into this form and that hadn't changed with his new part human body. Now it threatened to bubble and overflow from him. He had never been this giddy but it made sense. Until recently he had never thought he could have what they had shared together this morning.

Despite the rumbling of his stomach and even the bananas that were now so close, Rose alone had his full attention at the moment. She was dressed in the white Oxford shirt he had slung over the chair in front of her vanity the night before. Because of his concern for he hadn't bothered to hang it up. He could see the slightest trace of blue knickers peeking out from beneath it but those were the only articles of clothing she was wearing. She was _beautiful_ and he felt a surge of male pride at this blatant display that she was _his_.

She put down the tray on the vanity and walked up to him, put her arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly. "Good morning." Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him.

He nodded. "Indeed. Let me look at you, Rose." He stepped back and studied her as he walked around her in awe. He was suddenly reminded of the stone statue of her as Fortuna. He had known her pretty well when he had sculpted it and he had captured her perfectly at the time. It seemed so long ago and she had been so young. Now he longed to sculpt her again, exactly this way. She had grown so much in their years apart and he longed to capture this moment in time, as she was right now, down to the last detail. But then again, this sight was for his eyes only. He didn't want to share it with anybody. So perhaps no new statue Rose.

Suddenly her fingers snapped in front of his face. "Uh, Doctor?" Pulled from his reverie, he saw the slight blush on Rose's face and knew she was slightly embarrassed by the intensity of his stare. "Where'd you go just now?"

"Hmmm?"

"I was talking and you weren't listening. You obviously went somewhere."

"Oh, Rome."

She stared at him blankly, uncomprehending. "Ok…"

"Your statue. I wanted to sculpt you again. Like… this." He rubbed the back of his neck.

She seemed to consider it for a moment and then smiled cheekily. "Only one problem with that. Or two, actually."

He smiled back at her. "Oh, what's that?"

"No way to get back there right now, and well, your hair."

"Oi! What's wrong with my hair?" He made a face.

She grinned as she pulled him close to her and her fingers were suddenly in his hair, ruffling it as he hummed happily at her touch. "Nothing. It's _gorgeous_. Fortuna might have been ok on her own, but I couldn't let my statue be alone. She'd need her Doctor and I'm no sculptor. Even if I was, I don't think I could quite capture _this_," she wrapped her fingers around a few strands and twirled them, "in its full glory. You thought my ears were tricky, but this… I'm not sure it could be done."

He adored the way she thought and was about to tell her so when his stomach finally growled, loudly enough for her to hear.

She dropped her hands from his head and picked up the breakfast tray and handed it to him as he sat down on their bed. "You better eat, Doctor. I'm going to shower quickly while you do."

She was already walking towards the en suite and he couldn't help feeling disappointed as he took a bite, despite the delicious bananay goodness. She hadn't invited him to join her. He swallowed and then cleared his throat. "Can I, errr… could you wait? I'd like to… together?"

Rose smiled at him. "I'd love that. Truly. But we're going out and we don't have the time."

Now he frowned. He didn't really want to leave their flat today. "Do we have to?"

"Yes. We're going a date. A real, true, proper date. I've been planning part of this for a few weeks and you're going to _love_ it!"

He could feel her enthusiasm and found it infectious. Despite his desire to stay in, his curiosity got the better of him. His interest was now piqued. "Where?"

She shook her head. "That's for me to know, Doctor, and you to find out."

As Rose left him eating his breakfast and headed to the en suite, all of a sudden the alarm blasted from their bedside. He grabbed his sonic screwdriver, turned slightly and soniced the damn thing into silence.

She turned on her heel and there was a smirk on her face. "There is an off switch you know."

He shrugged. "This is more satisfying." He watched her laugh as she entered the en suite and closed the door behind her.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

As Rose showered she was amazed at how at ease she felt. She remembered how different it had been after the first time with Jimmy Stone and then with Mickey. The morning after had been awkward both times and she had wondered if it was always like that after a relationship had moved on to the next step.

Yet it wasn't like that with the Doctor. She had loved him for so many years, and had wanted this for so long. Even before the romance, he had been the best relationship she had ever had, and the consummation of that love had been everything she could have hoped for. If she had believed in such things she would have found it almost predestined, as if they had always been headed towards this. There really were no words to describe what had happened between the two of them this morning or what he meant to her.

Once she was out of the shower she slipped into her dressing grown and wrapped a towel around her head. Stepping back into their bedroom she found he was just finishing up the pancakes. Her shower had taken long enough that he should have already finished. She hoped it wasn't a bad sign that he hadn't. "How were they?"

She watched him lick his lips and rubbed his belly as he took the last bite. "Delectable. I savored every bite." He grinned at her.

She sighed with relief. During and prior to her days on the TARDIS she had never really been much of a cook. But once she had been stranded in this universe she had gotten her own place and taken some simple cooking lessons after getting tired of take out. "Good."

Rose went to the vanity to dry her hair and was surprised when the Doctor came up behind her and wrapped his arms are her waist. He pressed a kiss to her ear. Catching her eyes in the mirror, his breath tickled as he whispered softly into it.

The words were melodic and completely alien. She knew instantly it was Gallifreyan, though he'd never spoken it _to_ her before. Oh, she'd heard him swearing under his breath in annoyance in his native tongue but that was it. "What'd you say?" She asked, believing she understood the sentiment.

He smiled warmly at her, his eyes still on her own in the mirror. "There is no direct translation. Gallifreyan loses so much meaning when you try – that's part of the reason the TARDIS didn't translate it for others. But the closest is _'When words aren't enough, I instead share with you my heart.'_"

She'd been half right. Tears sprang to her eyes. She whipped around, and hugged him tightly, overcome with emotion.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

As Rose dried her hair and got dressed, the Doctor went to the closest and proceeded to pick out his clothes. Shortly after they had had been left on Pete's world she had taken him shopping. They had picked out a few t-shirts and jeans and other casual attire but he didn't yet feel comfortable with them so they had purchased a few pinstriped suits as well and so far that was all he'd worn. None in brown though, after he had seen the flash of pain in Rose's eyes as she had seen them on display. Brown _hurt_, which he understood completely – he'd lost her in brown as surely as she'd lost him, and he knew instantly he would never wear that color suit again, not in this body. He looked at the new black, grey, and charcoal ones, but settled on his blue suit, the suit he was wearing when he told her he loved her, and selected a tie to match.

As he was finishing getting dressed, she walked up to him as he started to tie the tie and brushed his hands away. "Let me." She smiled at him and worked the silky material with deft fingers, tying the knot expertly. "I've wanted to do that for the longest time," she told him as she finished.

"Really?"

"Yeah." She gave him a tongue in teeth grin and then closed the small distance between their bodies, pulling him to her with the tie. "Although I think it might be even more fun to _remove_ it." She quickly tucked his tie in, buttoned the top two buttons on the suit jacket and walked to the closet with a saucy smile on her face. He could only gape after her. He wasn't used to this side of Rose but he loved it.

She slipped on a pair of sandals and went to the vanity. After applying light make up as he bounced impatiently on the balls of his feet, she held out her hand to him and wiggled her fingers. "Ready?"

He nodded and slipped his hand in hers. "Allons-y!"

As they neared the door of their flat he grabbed their jackets and handed Rose her own. His jacket was a long leather duster this time around after she had confessed how much she had liked his previous incarnation's jacket - not that she hadn't liked his long one too, and he had decided to combine the two. Once they were both on they stepped outside.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

As Rose drove, the Doctor began his usual car routine and started to sonic the radio. It was his favorite pastime while riding as a passenger. He enjoyed seeing from how far away he could get a radio signal. The first time he tried he'd reached the continent, Belgium, to be exact and ever since he used every opportunity to try to extend the distance.

There was a slight crackle and a foreign voice came from the speakers. He listened for a moment. "Rose! That's German. Coming from…" There was a pause and she waited for him to continue. "Cologne."

"Congratulations!" She found his game adorable and enjoyed it as much as he did when he reached a new country or city."

She glanced out at the road and then put her hand on his hand that held the sonic screwdriver. "Doctor, I'm sorry but I need you to close your eyes now."

"Why?"

"Because this is a surprise and there are road signs coming up."

He sighed but complied. A few minutes later however she noticed he was getting antsy and squinting. "Doctor! The point of a surprise that you're not supposed to know what's coming. Stop peeking or I'll be forced to take drastic measures."

Both of his eyes snapped completely shut and crinkles formed around his eyes in humor as she glanced at him. She could tell he was trying to suppress a grin. "That sounds serious."

"Oh, it is! I'll stop the car, remove that tie, and blindfold you if I have to. Don't think I won't do it!"

"Well, we can't have that now, can we?" She saw his mouth twitch and even though she knew he couldn't see it, she grinned for a moment as well.

"Seriously, Doctor… you surprised me so many times and I want to give you this one. Please."

He reached out blindly and patted her leg with right hand. "Sorry. I'll stop. I promise."

True to his word, he did just that and ten minutes later they arrived at their destination. "Can I open my eyes?"

"Not yet." She took his hand once he got out of the car and led him beside the London Planetarium that lay on the outskirts of the city. "Just let me guide you."

She led him around the building to the back. There was a crowd of people outside but they were headed in the opposite direction. She led him to the small garden and pond where the staff could enjoy their breaks and just as Director Crispin had promised, it was empty. There were two tables and on one of them were the special glasses.

Rose dropped his hand. "Keep your eyes closed until I say but take off your coat, please."

She placed the coat on the ground then took his hand again. "Sit down." She helped him down and directed him lean backwards against his hands. She put on a pair of the glasses, and glanced up as the moon started to pass between the Earth and the sun. Her timing had been perfect. She placed the other pair on his face. "Now you can open them."

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

The Doctor opened his eyes as the sky slowly started to darken. "Oh, _Rose_!" He reached over and squeezed her hand. "Total or partial?"

She squeezed back. "Total. My first. I'd been planning on coming home early for the past few weeks and then bringing you here to see it."

He was flooded with delight. "How did you do this? I check out the news websites and I should've seen this! Total eclipses are rare because they only happen at a new moon and only for a small portion of the planet. If London was going to have a total solar eclipse…" He shook his head. It didn't make sense.

She leaned her head against his shoulder and laughed. "Not if I restricted the browser to ignore the words 'solar' and 'eclipse.'"

His mouth dropped open in shock. "You didn't!"

"Oh yeah, I did. After working on a dimension cannon doing that was easy."

He laughed although mention of the device pulled at his heart – it could've ended in disaster but now was not the time to bring that up. "Well, thank you." He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and then as they watched the eclipse, he told all about the moon, the sun, axises, and tilts of the planet. He told her about ancient superstitions about the meaning behind the phenomenon. He was still talking as sun came back into view and they removed their glasses.

"That was perfect." He pulled her into his arms and snogged her fiercely.

When they were both breathless and not willing to do anything more in public, she stood and he followed her lead, hand in hand. "Let's go inside. I've got the theater booked just for us. I know it can't be easy for you to be stuck here like this, but I thought as a new, new, new Doctor on a new Earth you might like to see the planetarium shows regarding this universe. I've been planning on bringing you here for a while but it hadn't worked out yet."

He stopped abruptly at her words. She was referencing Krop Tor. He hadn't corrected her then because he really hadn't know how to react to her comments, with her somewhat shy suggestion, but he wasn't going to let it pass now.

"No, Rose." He took her chin in his hands and looked in her eyes. "I'm _grounded_, not stuck. I could _never _be stuck. Not with you. This is exactly where I want to be."

As they walked hand in hand inside the planetarium, his mind was busy. He knew she had not intended for her comment to hurt but it had. It made him disappointed in himself. He had spent centuries in the TARDIS, much of it alone. Even traveling with companions there was so much he did on his own and kept to himself. That part hadn't changed now that he was on Pete's World but he realized it was time. He spent as much time with her as he could and accepted her family as his own, but that was all he had done.

Now he had to show Rose he was completely committed to this life and not just to her. They would have the TARDIS and they would travel again eventually but they would also spend much of the time here. It wasn't just about marrying her and being together, but also making this planet his home now too. His hermit like tendencies had to become a thing of the past and he had some fairly brilliant ideas on how to start.

* * *

A/N: This WAS going to be the final chapter, the epilogue. It honestly and truly was but then inspiration for more struck. Chapter 6 is almost complete (most of it before this chapter, lol, hence the longer than normal break between chapters plus the fact I accidentally saved over a newer version of chapter 5 with an older version and had to write much of it again - UGH) and now I just need to work on wrapping it up and editing it.

A few notes. I might have been using artistic license with the radio waves bit but I do know that at one time a radio signal from Omaha, NE could be picked up in the Minneapolis, MN area despite the fact there are hundreds of miles between the two cities so I think it could be possible.

I also want to HIGHLY recommend The Stone Rose. I first listened to the abridged audio, read by David Tennant himself and fell in love with the story. He even does voices for different characters! As it was abridged I also bought the book and I don't regret either purchase. Many thanks to thedoctorlek for cluing me in. ^^


	6. Forever

Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them.

FYI…For those that have been reading this as it was posted for the last few chapters, Director Collins has been changed to Director Crispin in honor of one of my favorite Star Wars authors that passed away from cancer in September. She created the character that provided my pen name and I actually had the pleasure of sharing a meal with her during Dragon*Con years ago. I thought honoring her was appropriate. RIP AC Crispin.

Also, timeline wise, this starts 3 weeks after chapter 5.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

The Doctor paced back and forth the flat nervously. He was a little surprised he hadn't worn a hole in the bloody carpet yet. Tonight was going to be _the_ night. He'd been planning it for the past few weeks and he was finally going to ask Rose to marry him. He had been rubbish at relationships in the past, and worse at his own weddings, but this time he wanted everything to be absolutely perfect right down to the proposal. She was his beloved and he wanted the world, no the universe, to know that the two of them were irrevocably bound together.

He was virtually certain of her answer, possibly more so than any man had ever been before. She'd offered him her forever years ago when he was still fully Time Lord, and at Bad Wolf Bay he had offered her the chance to spend her life with him, if she wanted it, and there had been promises between them since then. But he wanted, no he _needed_ to take the next step.

Hence the nervousness. A bit of that insecurity might have come from Donna, but truth be told he had always been nervous when he asked her to come with him or be with him, all four times. Any regeneration, any body, there was the fear she would say no. She'd told him no that first time and it had _hurt _and that was when he only felt acute fondness for her. He couldn't bear the thought of her saying that to him now. He didn't think that would happen but until the question was asked he knew he wouldn't be at ease.

Sometimes he could still scarcely believe they had reached this point. As soon as the other Doctor had given him that look on TARDIS as he announced they were going back to Dårlig Ulv**-**Stranden and telepathically told him his plan, he'd been filled with a maelstrom of conflicting feelings. He'd instantly been filled with righteous indignation for Rose that she was being left behind without a choice and with him to boot and no question to what she wanted. He had known she was extremely curious about him as he stood next to her at the console but he also knew he was not _really_ the Doctor to her, not at that point. She couldn't have known or understood that until the almost-regeneration took place after he was shot that they'd been the very same man. He also felt guilty as he was the reason why Rose was not going to have what she had worked for so hard and so long. Finally, there had been elation at the thought, the mere _possibility_ that perhaps she would choose to be with him.

Unable to stop himself, the Doctor opened the blue velvet box with the engagement ring and stroked it once again. He had done so countless times since he'd picked it up two days ago. The jeweler had tried to get him to take a black box but he had insisted it be blue. Blue and rectangular, not square.

Inside the box, set in a ring of yellow gold, was a diamond surrounded by two pink sapphires. The diamond was circular; an unending loop just like his love, and the pink sapphires and yellow gold symbolized what Rose had always been to him, pink and yellow. Finally, etched in a small script inside the band there was an inscription: _All of time and space and I found you_. When he filled out the paperwork for the ring, he knew the jeweler thought he was certifiable but he hadn't cared. He'd designed it himself exactly the way he wanted and it had been an impatient 2 ½ weeks for him since he had ordered it. Now though he had to admit, the timing for everything was perfect. The TARDIS news he had for her, his new job, and the proposal itself all tied together nicely.

The Doctor snapped out of his thoughts as he heard her keys jingle as the front door was unlocked. He shoved the box in an end table drawer immediately, stopped pacing, and tried to look casual. He had purposely picked out his black pinstriped suit instead of his tuxedo because he didn't want to tip her off. He didn't want her to have any idea that tonight was not just another date night. Tonight he would not just offer her his forever, he would also let her know he was committed to this human life even if at times was still confusing and a bit terrifying. He didn't want to miss any of it, not with her at his side.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Rose was a bit sore as she entered their flat. Sore and _dirty_. It had been a long week at work and today there had been field work that just left her feeling icky. She knew the Doctor had plans for them this evening but in all honesty she just wanted a bath and to stay in and snuggle with him.

The past few weeks had been wonderful with the Doctor. He wasn't so secluded anymore and she had realized with some guilt he really had just been waiting for her to be ready. He had started joining her and her coworkers for their weekly drinks after work on Wednesdays and Friday's had become date nights out for the two of them, and then staying in on Saturday evenings and spending time with her family on Sunday.

Their date nights so far had consisted of finally seeing an Ian Dury concert (he was still alive on this Earth) two weeks ago and then last week going to the cinema and watching a cheesy sci-fi movie. They had had a great time at both but during the latter she finally had to visit the concession stand to buy popcorn and Jammie Dodgers for the Doctor to stuff in his mouth and prevent him from pointing out every single scientific inaccuracy. Rose had no idea what he planned tonight but she hoped he wouldn't mind waiting until the following evening.

One look at the scene that met her eyes and she knew something was up. He was leaning against the wall of the living room with his ankles crossed. It looked too casual to actually _be_ causal and she knew it was staged.

The Doctor's eyes lit up as he looked at her. "Hello!" He grinned at her and pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the ground slightly. He had started doing it the night she brought Tony home, repeating his action after Krop Tor, and now he did it every evening when she returned home from work. She returned his embrace but restrained from hugging him too tightly, knowing she didn't smell very good from the gunk that she and Gwen, Owen, and Jake had waded through that day. He wrinkled his nose but did not say anything.

"I know, I stink." Rose laughed. "'M going to take a bath." She arched her eyebrow and tilted her head as she waited for him to ask if he could join her, but he didn't, nodding at her instead. Yep. She knew something was definitely up now.

"I'll make dinner while you bathe. Anything particular you want?"

Rose smiled at him gratefully. They now traded off the cooking and tonight it was her turn, so she was thankful that he volunteered. "I could murder some chips. So chips and burgers?"

"Coming right up."

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

After her bath Rose felt much better. The hot water had soothed her sore muscles and freshened her up. Under the hot water she had decided against asking the Doctor to postpone whatever it was he had planned. He had indulged her when he had wanted to stay in and she could do the same. As long as she was with him, she was sure the evening would be wonderful. Being with him was wonderful, period. Even going on almost 4 months she still sometimes found it hard to believe she was going to get to be with him forever.

Rose grabbed her dressing gown and slipped it on. She could smell the chips and they made her mouth water. She dried her hair and got dressed as quickly as possible and then joined the Doctor at the dinner table.

"MMM…" She said, stabbing her fork into several chips. Her eyes closed in pleasure she took her first bite.

"Pretty good, eh?"

"Hmmm…." Rose opened her eyes and gave the chips a critical stare. "Well, you're no dinner lady," she gave him a cheeky grin. "But I think you'll do…"

"I just pass inspection? Really? These babies were _homemade_!" He arched an eyebrow in mock indignation.

Rose laughed. "Just teasing. They're gorgeous. And the Kobe beef! Might never want to go out for chips and burgers again when you can do this."

"That might be able to be arranged," the Doctor said around a mouthful of burger. He was chowing through his food like a madman and she couldn't help but grin. Whatever he was up to, she suspected she would find out shortly.

As soon as they were both done eating, he grabbed her hand. "C'mon. I've got a surprise for you."

He led her out to the garage but didn't open the door. "The shatterfrying is complete. For the time being she just needs to grow. Oh, Rose, I can feel her, in my head. This is going to work." He grinned at her and Rose returned it wholeheartedly.

Rose hugged the Doctor tightly. "Show me."

For the next hour he talked, and talked, and then talked some more, explaining the whole shatterfrying process. He hadn't really told her before how worried he was about doing it wrong when he only had a small piece of the coral but it had worked. Much of it still went over her head but she understood it much better than she would have years ago, now that she worked at Torchwood and had helped create the dimension cannon.

The Doctor hadn't been sure of any time frame he told her, as in the past it had taken thousands of years to grown a TARDIS. But after careful calculations and patience, it was finally time to mostly sit back and watch her grow. He couldn't be sure but he estimated it would probably take a year and a half for the TARDIS to be complete. His hands caressed the side of the grow tank longingly and then he looked at her almost guiltily and stopped.

Rose wrapped her arms around him in response. He was more important to her than traveling in time and space but she couldn't wait to get back to running hand in hand with him amongst the stars. "I'm so happy for you. For _us_." She said the last word very deliberately while looking deep into his eyes, wanting him to know how happy it made her too. "What are you going to do now though, while we wait?"

The Doctor did not answer her question. Instead he slipped out of her embrace and took her hand. "Let's go out and you'll see. I have another surprise for you."

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

As the Doctor drove their car away from the flat, Rose turned her head from the passenger seat. "Do I need to close my eyes?

"Oh no, not at all." He smiled at her. She had no way of knowing they were going to site of her surprise weeks ago and he wanted to see her face as she realized that fact. "But if you want you can turn the CD player on."

Rose's eyebrows arched in surprise. "Yeah? I thought you didn't really like my hip-hop music?"

The Doctor chuckled and nodded. "Not a fan of that, but I put something else in while you were changing."

"What is it?" she asked, curious.

"Just something I was waiting for the perfect time to share with you. Tonight feels like the right night."

There were some exceptions, but Rose didn't usually gravitate towards classical music and he really hoped he she liked his work. He'd been so inspired by the cosmos, and while he'd had a lot of good times before she had ever entered his life, the very best adventures in any universe had taken place with her at his side and they had helped motivate this piece. He couldn't wait to get back out there with her once again. First though, he would answer her question and let her know exactly how he would be spending his time. Everything was going according to plan.

As the Doctor continued to drive, the car was filled with _Ode to the Universe_. He glanced over and saw that she had closed her eyes as she listened to the music. A smile played across her face, gradually getting bigger as the music progressed.

Rose opened her eyes and turned to him. There was a knowing smile on her face. "You wrote that, didn't you? She reached over and patted his leg as he nodded. "It's beautiful."

"I know," he said, smugly. "It's a symphony and should be played by an orchestra for full effect, but I had to settle for the piano at the mansion. You should have heard it when it was played at Royal Albert Hall."

Rose looked impressed. "Really? I wish I had seen that!"

"I wish you could have too." He reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Um, Doctor…" She looked around as he took a familiar exit. "Exactly where are we going?"

"Now, Rose. What did you say? '_The point of a surprise that you're not supposed to know what's coming?'"_

Rose gave him a look of slight chagrin but nodded. "Just looks like we're headed to the planetarium or the science museum." She looked at her watch in puzzlement. "But they should both be closed."

The Doctor shrugged. "Maybe they are." He gave her a mysterious smile.

A couple of minutes later he pulled up to the London Planetarium. The lights were low and Rose was correct, it was closed, as was the connected science museum. He reached inside his pocket and pulled out his employee badge, thankful his hand was large enough she couldn't see what exactly what it was. Walking around the building to the side entrance he palmed it against the key pad and led her inside. Enjoying the puzzlement on her face, he nuzzled her nose and kissed her briefly.

The Doctor walked her through the planetarium and to the administrative office. He unlocked the door and flipped the lights on in the room. Six cubes were in the room, in two rows of three. Hand in hand, he walked her to the back row and stopped in front for the cube farthest back on the right. Hanging outside the cube was a name plate that read _Dr. John Noble_.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Rose mouth dropped open in an 'o' of surprise and she couldn't help but gasp. The Doctor had taken John Noble as his legal name soon after they had arrived but he hadn't been very happy about it. She assured him at the time she would always call him Doctor as would her family and he could certainly explain to everybody else that it was his nickname. He hadn't used the name much yet though, just to obtain a driver's license and passport. Seeing it on a name plate sent a jolt through her.

"What?" she asked feeling bewildered. It was obvious what it was and yet she didn't understand; to say that he'd surprised her was an understatement. She glanced inside the cubicle at his desk. It was a sight of organized chaos that she knew only the Doctor could achieve. There were stacks of papers in one spot, books in another, some of them open, and star charts laid out across the rest of the desk. Finally, next to his computer was a picture of the two of them, taken recently during a picnic at a local park with her family. It looked all so ordinary and yet because it was _his _it was extraordinary.

"It's my desk." He grinned at her and she knew he was enjoying her confusion. He pulled out his chair and motioned for her to sit down. He leaned against his desk next to her once she was seated.

"I see that. But when? How long has this been going on?" She couldn't believe that the Doctor had gotten a job and started working, all without her knowledge. Not with the gob he had.

He took her hand in his and leaned against the desk. "I started a week ago when the shatterfrying was complete. After you introduced me to Director Collins a few weeks ago, you went to take that call from Jackie, and I had a moment alone with him. I told him how wonderful I thought his planetarium was and I said I would be looking for a job soon. He offered me one at the planetarium and the science museum right away. I didn't want to be a physics teacher or a history teacher again. Been there, done that. But the planetarium and the science museum, that's something new. I'll give tours and lectures or classes to students and visitors. I can teach but not have to deal with any pesky grading of papers or other boring nonsense. Isn't it brilliant?"

Rose grinned at him. "I think it's fantastic. I can't believe it. You with a _job_!" She got up and hugged him. "'M surprised you didn't tell me about the TARDIS sooner though. The coral has really been growing for a week?"

The Doctor nodded and grinned back at her, clearly pleased with himself. "I couldn't. I knew you'd ask what I was going to do and I was right! Almost the first words out of your mouth! But it was time for me to get a job. I'm also going to be a Torchwood consultant as needed. Pete did help supply equipment for the TARDIS after all. I've been acting like a guest but this planet is my home now. _You're _my home," he paused as he stroked her cheek. It's time I stopped letting you support the two of us and do my fair share."

Rose pulled away and looked up at him, startled. "What are you talking about? You've been working on the TARDIS not lazing about! I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, but I want to get back to time and space too."

He nodded. "I know that. But I let Martha support me in 1969 and I've been doing the same here. I don't want to do that anymore."

Tears gathered in her eyes. She really hadn't looked at it that way but it was clear that the Doctor had and that pained her. He'd gone about it awkwardly, instead of just talking to her, but he'd always been a man of action. He had done this _for her_. She could tell how happy this was going to make him, so it made her happy too. This was the perfect job for him and that was what mattered to her.

She got up and stroked his cheek before pulling him into her embrace. "Oh, Doctor. I love you so much." Linking her arms around his neck she brought his lips to hers and kissed him fervently.

He returned her kiss breathlessly for a moment. "I have one more surprise left for you."

Rose laughed. "Are you trying to show me up? Outdo my surprise?" She teased him, her tongue poking through her teeth.

The Doctor's eyes grew wide. "No. Besides, I could never top your first surprise."

"What was that?" Rose had no idea what he was talking about.

"You, of course. Grabbing your hand at Henrik's. I didn't know that night was going to change my life forever." He slipped his hand in hers once more.

"Yeah? I could say the same for you." She grinned at him as he led her out of the office.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

The Doctor walked with Rose hand in hand to the theater. "This is the best part, Rose. I came up with the idea. Director Crispin told me how the planetarium struggles and that if it weren't for the science museum there were times it came close to being shut down. I thought of a way to increase revenue. Tony actually inspired me."

Stepping inside the theater, he flipped on some dim lights. The screen wrapped around so the movie or projection being show wrapped around the theater, in front, above, to the side, and behind the viewer. He left her for a moment to turn on the Northern Sky projection. The theater lit up with the night sky and constellations.

"It's beautiful. But how did Tony inspire this? He's a toddler." Rose gazed at him quizzically.

"Yes, but he loves my bedtime stories. How could he not?" He grinned at her. "But I realized nothing could be better than bedtime stories under the stars. Granted they can't be the stories I tell Tony, but still. There are plenty of stories and fables about the constellations and then there are regular old bedtime stories. If I can make children fall in love with the stars…" He trailed off as he watched Rose turn around slowly, taking everything in view.

"'S perfect. Tony is going to love this and I know other kids will too. I might actually have to hear them myself." She leaned in and kissed him again. "Doctor, I know we're going to get back out there once the TARDIS is ready but in the meantime I'm glad you have this. You've really found the perfect place for you."

"Nah, this is very good, but being with you, that's perfect." Reaching into his pocket, the Doctor flipped a switch on the projector remote and the stars above started to twinkle and an occasional meteor fell across the screen. Perhaps it was a little cheesy, like something out of one of Rose's chick flicks, but this was as close as he could get to how he wanted to propose to her. It was finally time, at long last.

"OH!"

He smiled as she gasped in delight, her eyes riveted to the screen. While Rose was distracted he got down on bended knee and using the remote once more, he brought the theater lights up just slightly so there was enough light so she could see him and would be able to see the ring.

D.O.C.T.O.R.W.H.O

Turning her eyes back to the Doctor, Rose's felt a lump rise to her throat. He was down on bended knee and time seemed to stop for her. Her heart swelled and tears sprang to her eyes.

"For so many centuries I was alone in the truest sense of the word. I never thought I could be so happy, never thought I would meet somebody that could help me feel complete." He stopped for a moment as his voice choked with emotion. "But then I met you, Rose Tyler, and suddenly I knew what I'd been missing. Before, I didn't think we could have everything I wanted but now we can. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I want to run through this great adventure that is life with you at my side." He pulled out a blue velvet box and opened it slowly, his eyes never leaving her own.

"You pretty much had me at 'Run'." She offered him her hand. "And even more so at 'I love you.' _You_ and me have always been headed for this. I just had to wrap my head around it."

"Err, isn't it traditional to say 'yes?'" He frowned but Rose could see his mouth twitched and his eyes twinkled.

"We aren't exactly traditional, Doctor. But if you insist,_ YES_." Finally, he slipped the ring on her finger and then pressed a kiss against both the ring and her hand. Rose tugged him to his feet so he was standing and then jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. "Now kiss me."

Spinning her around as they both laughed and cried tears of happiness, the Doctor did just that.

_The end?_

* * *

A/N: So. Yes I know it was a bit cheesy and over the top. I couldn't help it. I also figured this was as close as I could get for the Doctor to what he wanted since they weren't back to traveling in the TARDIS and he had to settle for giving Rose an Earth proposal.

This may or not be complete. At this point I am not sure. I did end this chapter at a good place if it really turns out to be the end. However, I do have some stuff that has become headcanon for this series for me that hasn't fit in so far that I would like write. I'd do it as sort of an outtake like you sometimes see during the credits after a movie. GallifreySky kind of prompted me and I've decided that the Doctor DOES tell Rose about what happened to Donna and that is what I will try to write. If it doesn't work out I do want my readers to know that he does share this with Rose prior to them getting married. The only reason he hasn't shared it so far is he didn't want her to hurt with the knowledge but he does come clean. I have other stuff I'm working on and want to get back to but once I've done that I'll come back and see if I can do the 'Donna' scene. If it doesn't work I'll mark this complete at that time.

_Ode to the Universe_ is real and can be seen on youtube as Doctor Who Music of the Spheres or with the _Complete 2009 Specials_ box set. David Tennent's Bedtime Stories (as well as bedtime stories from other Doctor Who actors) can also be seen on youtube and helped plant the idea in my head for the Doctor's bedtime stories.

Thanks to everybody who has followed & or reviewed this. I've appreciated each and every one. This is the best received Doctor Who piece I've written so far and I am thrilled that some really enjoyed it. I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one and I'm reasonably pleased with the results. Not sure if I'll do anything of the sort in the future but regardless, I do have more stories & ideas in the works. I've started a series of Doctor/Rose ficlets/oneshots called Two for the Road if anybody wants to check it out.


End file.
